It's perhaps always helpful to remember that multiculturalism has always been a response to white supremacism, created as its antithesis. But then, Jonah's history on these matters, as we've noted, is a bit confused.

Not only is multiculturalism intended to overcome racism, it's the only approach to a multiethnic society that even makes the attempt. And as I've also noted, its critics are very good at pointing out its flaws, none of them are forthcoming about what they'd replace it with.

Because the only thing on the horizon that could replace it is the old system of white supremacy, which always hid under such rubrics as "separate but equal" and the notion that merit is purely an individual matter -- even though the means of testing merit are built around a system of white privilege. It's all part of the "new racism," which has as it founding tenet the idea that multiculturalism has failed.

Sara Robinson has worked as an editor or columnist for several national magazines, on beats as varied as sports, travel, and the Olympics; and has contributed to over 80 computer games for EA, Lucasfilm, Disney, and many other companies. A native of California's High Sierra, she spent 20 years in Silicon Valley before moving to Vancouver, BC in 2004. She currently is pursuing an MS in Futures Studies at the University of Houston. You can reach her at srobinson@enginesofmischief.com.